Editing Gamal Abdel Nasser (section)

=== Rivalry with Amer ===
Following Syria's secession, Nasser grew concerned with Amer's inability to train and modernize the army, and with the [[state within a state]] Amer had created in the military command and [[Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate|intelligence apparatus]].<ref name="Aburish237" /><ref>{{Harvnb|Kandil|2012|p=51}}</ref> In late 1961, Nasser established the Presidential Council and decreed it the authority to approve all senior military appointments, instead of leaving this responsibility solely to Amer.<ref name="Farid71">{{Harvnb|Farid|1996|p=71}}</ref><ref name="Brooks88">{{Harvnb|Brooks|2008|p=88}}</ref> Moreover, he instructed that the primary criterion for promotion should be merit and not personal loyalties.<ref name="Farid71" /> Nasser retracted the initiative after Amer's allies in the officers corps threatened to mobilize against him.<ref name="Brooks88" />

In early 1962 Nasser again attempted to wrest control of the military command from Amer.<ref name="Brooks88" /> Amer responded by directly confronting Nasser for the first time and secretly rallying his loyalist officers.<ref name="Farid71" /><ref name="Brooks89">{{Harvnb|Brooks|2008|p=89}}</ref> Nasser ultimately backed down, wary of a possible violent confrontation between the military and his civilian government.<ref>{{Harvnb|Farid|1996|pp=71–72}}</ref> According to Boghdadi, the stress caused by the UAR's collapse and Amer's increasing autonomy forced Nasser, who already had [[Diabetes mellitus|diabetes]], to practically live on painkillers from then on.<ref name="Aburish244">{{Harvnb|Aburish|2004|p=244}}</ref>